In the United States, the average age for a person’s first visit to the dentist is 2.6 years, which is considerably older than recommended. Guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry state that a child’s first dental visit should occur no later than age one, or around six months after the eruption of the first tooth. The most common reason for delaying the first dental visit is lack of information; the perception is that some children are too young or don’t yet have enough teeth to warrant a dental visit. The reality is that the health of the primary teeth and the overall oral health are integral to the continued well-being of the teeth and the oral cavity. It’s best to take your child to a pediatric dentist around the age of one, and to continue with routine pediatric dental care throughout childhood. Most dentists recommend visiting for a dental examination and professional cleaning every six months, which can make a child’s pediatric dentists one of their more familiar, trusted medical providers and help support their oral health and overall health well into adulthood.
Though they’re temporary, the primary teeth are vitally important during their lifespan. Of course, they help children learn how satisfying it feels to smile and feel good about their appearance, but primary teeth also help children learn how to chew a variety of foods, helping maintain a balanced diet, and they’re integral to speech development and pronunciation. The primary teeth also support the oral and facial structures through childhood, making and saving space for the permanent secondary teeth that will erupt in adolescence, gradually pushing the primary teeth out to take their place. Primary teeth are also great practice for children to learn an effective oral hygiene routine, habits that can help sustain their oral health over the long term.
When children visit their pediatric dentist early, parents can learn the proper methods for caring for their children’s teeth and teaching their children to care for their own teeth, helping establish beneficial habits early on. Children who go to the dentist shortly after the first tooth erupts are usually too young to feel anxious or nervous about the idea of the dentist, and pediatric dentists are specially trained to ensure that children have positive associations with their dental visits, making routine visits feel more like a pleasant reward than a frightening task when introduced young. When children are older at the time of their first dental visit, they may already associate the dentist with something unpleasant, perhaps because of something they’ve heard someone say or simply because they’re in the “terrible twos” and are feeling defiant.
You can help reduce your child’s nervousness about dental visits by talking about them in neutral or even flattering terms. Don’t be afraid to take your child with you when you go to the dentist so they can see all the cool instruments and watch you get your teeth painlessly checked up and polished. Playing dentist with your child can also help reduce anxiety about dental visits and normalize dental procedures; take turns examining each other’s mouths with your fingers and using a mirror to see behind the teeth. You could also take this opportunity to teach your children about teeth and about dental health, using resources from your dentist or from reputable dental websites. Your child’s first pediatric dental visit should feel like a relaxing activity, so plan plenty of time for the visit and make sure your child feels comfortable.
Pediatric dentists undergo the same baseline training as general dentists and then receive additional training in child psychology and behavior. Pediatric dentists’ offices often have games, toys, and visual stimuli to keep children entertained while waiting for and undergoing treatment, and they offer treats and rewards to patients with good hygiene habits or milestone dental events. Pediatric dentists are experts at building relationships with children, which helps prevent the negative associations some adults have with childhood dental visits. They often offer a variety of flavored toothpaste and other popular options, they are trained to practice using smaller tools that can comfortably be accommodated by children’s smaller mouths. Additionally, they’re clinically familiar with conditions that only affect the primary teeth. This doesn’t mean that pediatric dentists only work with primary teeth, however. While your child should see their pediatric dentist within six months of the eruption of their first primary tooth, they can continue to see the same pediatric dentist through childhood and into adolescence and beyond if they’d like, developing and maintaining good habits for a lifetime.